


When It's Just Us Two

by distraughtlover



Category: Mission: Impossible (Movies)
Genre: After Mission Impossible: Fallout, Fluff, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 18:50:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15847254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/distraughtlover/pseuds/distraughtlover
Summary: Everyone deserves to love and to be loved, especially field agents saving the world.





	When It's Just Us Two

**Author's Note:**

> After watching Fallout, I ADORE these two and am kicking myself for not realizing their perfection sooner.

It had started as small moments between them. 

In the middle of a briefing or a meeting where the team was gathered up, Ethan would lay a grip on Benji’s shoulder and leave it there for a few seconds that left a lingering touch afterwards. Nothing was ever inappropriate about that action, it was only a form of affection for his friend. Ethan cared about the people in his life because he wanted them to stay, and so this was simply one way to show Benji that he was important to him.

Or Benji would shoot Ethan a small, quiet grin that made Ethan stop in his movements, having to consider why he paused and dwelled on the image of Benji’s smile. And the fact that it had been directed at only him, and was meant just for him. On more than one occasion he had woken up to that image from a dream during the night and contemplated why they had occurred more than once.

And when they were alone, it became the most obvious. The air that surrounded them always seemed to change. Benji was afraid to look at Ethan directly. And Ethan had no other desire but to face whatever was going on between them fully head on. But something had always stopped the both of them from revealing what they felt. 

And then they grew, those moments. They increased in magnitude until there was only one option, and that was for it to all come out into the open. 

Benji knew he had developed the crush first, which later turned into the kind of feelings that never truly go away, whether they’re reciprocated or not. He would’ve kept it to himself, would’ve sacrificed that part in order for the good of their team and all the work they accomplished, but one little mishap of his emotions had given it up that one day. 

Ethan had seen it. And he’d had enough of their inability to face each other about what the real truth was. 

On one particular day, out of nowhere, Benji had been cornered against a wall with Ethan in front when they were alone. He knew there was absolutely no threat, but the looming possibility of change frightened him towards the path of silence. 

“Benji,” Ethan said, “please tell me what’s going on.”

And that’s how Ethan was, always in tune with the people in his life. 

“I can’t hide this anymore,” Benji whispered in an ache.

“Hide what?” Ethan questioned gently.

“…I love you,” Benji said. 

Silence had stayed between them as Benji’s words and their entire meaning sunk into Ethan. 

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Ethan had whispered.

“Because I was trying to protect our team, and who am I to develop these feelings, when there’s so much always at stake.”

And then Ethan had moved forward, ready to start what needed to happen between them. 

“Your feelings matter, too,” Ethan had said.

As Benji gazed at him, trying to comprehend the incredible man before him, Ethan had spoken again.

“I love you, too.”

Benji inhaled with heavy shock, recalling that moment from the past and how much it had thoroughly affected his inner self. He felt overwhelmed from how much beautiful love he had for Ethan. Sometimes it came in surprise attacks like this one, but he could never complain. His heart raced erratically. Benji had never been in love like this before. And that was because no other man could compare to Ethan. 

And in Ethan’s eyes, Benji was the strongest man he knew. Ethan saw Benji as his complete equal. Benji was the kind of person who only came around in somebody’s life just once. And Ethan would protect him at any cost. He loved him like no other person had been in his life, something he had never expected to happen again. 

What also mattered heavily was in their line of work and how both of them fought for the normal lives they deserved together, even when on a mission. And after some time and practice, they had it fully. Sundays were their favorite. A lazy morning followed by a possibly-productive afternoon if they chose, completed by a quiet evening alone with each other. To Ethan and Benji, their lives made absolute sense.

They were at home, in peace and at ease. Benji was at the computer working on a couple of documents while Ethan fixed a couple of things in the garage. He eventually came inside and walked into the study where Benji was located. He leaned against the wall and watched him work. Benji had heard Ethan come in and smiled, knowing Ethan was watching him. And then the sound of Ethan’s calm yet sturdy voice brought out a radiant grin from him. 

“I love watching you at the computer,” Ethan said.

Benji stopped his typing and swiveled around to face Ethan. 

“I love when you come back to me in one piece,” Benji said, teasing.

Ethan grinned brightly at Benji, while also fully aware of how much damage their missions could inflict. 

“You’d be the one to put me back together,” Ethan said.

“Every time,” Benji said.

Benji stood up and went over to Ethan. They looked at each other momentarily, in quiet awe of the other, and then Ethan slipped his arm around Benji’s waist, pulling him close. Their chests gently touched.

Then Ethan trailed his fingers across Benji’s neck, where the rope had hung him, had almost killed him. He quietly gulped, swallowing down the residual anger he still felt. But Benji wouldn’t let him have any of it. 

“You have never not protected me,” Benji said.

Ethan immediately felt the reassurance. He leant his forehead against Benji’s and they rested together momentarily. This was life, and they had worked to get it. And now here they both were, with so much time accumulated and so much more to go, and it had come as a beautiful thought to both men. 

They came into the living room and sat down on the couch. Ethan put an arm around Benji and held him close. Moments like these were no longer a rarity; both of them made sure that they were completely happy in every sense of the word. As Benji laid back in the encasement of Ethan’s arm around his body, he felt his mind settle down into peace. This always happened whenever he was with Ethan, even in times of crisis. 

And because even with everything that he did, Ethan Hunt was still a human. And when they were together, alone from the world, Ethan let himself be vulnerable with Benji. The strength of their relationship was incomparably strong, and that was because both men were open with each other, completely willingly. They would not be a possibility if they were closed off, especially because of their work. 

Their missions took a lot out of them. Avoiding that outcome just wasn’t possible. But every time they were accomplished successfully, and they always were, Ethan and Benji always recuperated fully. The end result was something to look forward to, because it meant going home with each other, like right now. 

A living dream had become possible when Ethan and Benji came to be together. 

And now it could never stop.


End file.
